Delta Deep - Delta Deep (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Melodic Hard Rock

 

Track listing:

01. Bang the Lid
02. Whiskey
03. Down In the Delta
04. Treat Her Like Candy
05. Miss Me
06. Burnt Sally
07. Private Number (feat. David Coverdale)
08. Shuffle Sweet
09. Black Coffee (feat. Paul Cook & Simon Laffy)
10. Feelit
11. Mistreated (feat. Joe Elliott)

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen has just released the self-titled album of his side band DELTA DEEP, a super-group featuring terrific singer Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Forrest Robinson (Bob Baldwin Band), featuring stellar guests such as Whitesnake’s David Coverdale, Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) and Joe Elliott (Def Leppard).
Delta Deep’s debut features a mix of covers and originals, and stylistically it isn’t confined to any one genre, however it's a strongly blues-infused material with some electrifying moments.
The CD begins with the enticing rock-fueled ‘Bang the Lid,’ which features a jolting introduction that mixes compelling guitars and percussion. The track’s vocals are then dynamically jump-started with the strong and intense lyrics from Blackwell-Cook, a superb singer. It's very uptempo with a stomping bass drum beat from Forrest Robinson with added handclaps and some cool bass. A song impossible to listen to without tapping your feet.
'Whiskey' is quieter, a slower song but not a ballad, full of bluesy atmospheres. The album’s third entry, ‘Down in the Delta,’ reverts back to the group’s classic hard-rock guitar introduction, energetic and moving.
‘Treat Her Like Candy’ is an interesting blues-infused rock song that features a calming electric guitar and bass line, where Blackwell-Cook passionately duets with Collen on lead vocals.
‘Miss Me’ features a dynamic, hard-rock drum and guitar beat that’s reminiscent of Collen’s other side band Manraze, and why not, Def Leppard. Delta Deep’s two lead singers emotionally reveal that they’ll miss each other when they’re gone from each other’s lives. The song is a nostalgic tribute to classic hard-rock love songs from the '80s, but with a twist.
The record’s next track, ‘Burnt Sally,’ features the first guest in the form of Jeffery "CJ" Vanston on Hammond B3 Organ. Phil's bluesy playing is great on this track, and Robert Deleo provides solid deep bass lines.
David Coverdale shares vocals with Blackwell-Cook on 'Private Number', a soul classic written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones. Originally, Collen had his eye on having Coverdale contribute vocals to their version of Deep Purple’s Mistreated, but those plans were revised once he learned that Coverdale had already recorded a new version of the song for his own album.
But the legendary singer wanted to be a part of the project and suggested that they give 'Private Number' a shot.
I hadn’t heard Coverdale sing like this for years, very soulful, like in the very early Whitesnake records, or in the underrated Restless Heart album. His vocals were recorded pretty straight, appropriately raw without any added effects. Great version and an album's highlight.
The next several songs on Delta Deep, including ‘Shuffle Sweet,’ ‘Black Coffee’ (featuring Simon Laffy which Collen played in the band Girl before Def Leppard) and ‘Feel It,’ deliver more enthralling rocking vocals. The tracks also emphasize their captivating instrumentals, including moments of up-tempo guitar notes that are set against gritty bass and drums.
Then the band covers Deep Purple's classic ‘Mistreated’. There's a great guitar work by Collen, the rhythm section is stupendous, and the vocals are shared between Blackwell-Cook and Def Lepp's Joe Elliott. Joe does a nice part, but Blackwell-Cook blows him out of the water.
Delta Deep is a project made up of some rock and roll super stars to create music that revives an appreciation for classic rock, rocking blues and traditional hard rock. I think the mission is more than accomplished.
I would say this is album will surprise many people, especially anyone who thought it would feature a lot of very traditional or old sounding blues songs. Instead this is very much a Rock album but with more of a pop / melodic sound mixed in with the obvious blues / soul / funk influence. A couple of blues song included and lots of lead vocals from Debbi Blackwell-Cook who has an amazing voice, but there is plenty of Phil collen in here too.
It is different enough to be nothing like Def Leppard but not different enough that it won't appeal to Def Leppard and Manraze fans alike. It rocks, the musicianship is first rate, and production, handled Phil Collen, and mixed & mastered by expert Ronan McHugh, is really crisp.
Highly Recommended.
Rating - 10/10

Line Up
Phil Collen - Guitars, Vocals (Def Leppard)
Debbi Blackwell-Cook - Vocals (Luther Vandross, Michael Buble)
Forrest Robinson - Drums (Bob Baldwin Band)
Robert DeLeo - Bass (Stone Temple Pilots)

Special guests:
David Coverdale (Whitesnake) - vocals
Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) - drums
Simon Laffy (Girl) - bass
Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) - vocals
Jeffery "CJ" Vanston (Toto) - Hammond B3

BOHEMIAN LIFESTYLE - Madame Libertanah (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Libertanah
02 - Fool's Mask
03 - A Brighter Day
04 - Woodlands
05 - Coming Back Around
06 - Wake up Call
07 - Wayward Hearts
08 - Superman
09 - Third Longstreet Groove
10 - Horror Show
 

Hailing from Stockholm, BOHEMIAN LIFESTYLE have released some singles and an EP in the last two years, and now "Madame Libertanah" is their first full length album.
"Madame Libertanah" is 100% melodic hard rock energy throughout with contrasts in tempo and heaviness.
Their songs are contagious, traditionally structured and predictable in a way that is wholeheartedly gratifying. A combination of '90s loud melodic guitars, '80s energy and a bit of '70s glam.
Songs like "Libertánah" and "A Brighter Day" are really good old-fashioned power-pop gems with a rocking sound. Then "Fool’s Mask", is a more powerful and rhythmic track. The band’s frontman, Pontus Klas Viberg, has a very charismatic and characteristic voice, very clean and precise.
"Woodlands" and "Coming Back Around" are high-quality melodic hard rock tracks, then the harder "Superman" is guaranteed to satisfy you riff cravings.
The songs on "Madame Libertanah" have a certain staying power that you won't find with most artists in this genre. This is one of those recordings I feel crosses all boundaries in the world of rock music. 
Like other hard rocking European bands that have came before them, Bohemian Lifestyle know the power of a good riff, and this album is chock block full of enough to keep air guitarists around the world throwing the windmill shape until their arms are ready to fall out of their sockets.
Additionally, the guys provide hooky melodies and catchy choruses to keep your body moving.
"Madame Libertanah" is unapologetically radio-friendly melodic rock and a hell of a lot of fun. It's vibe is so contagious, it practically yanks you out of your seat and commands you to move.

Well worth checking out

Rating - 8/10

Duff McKagan - How To Be A Man E.P. (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Pop / Punk

 

Track listing:

 

01 - What It Takes To Be A Mam

02 - Punker

03 - Kill The Internet

I can't believe that I very nearly missed this one! Its been out for a couple of months now, but hey, better late than never!
"How To Be A Man" is a three track E.P.(and first true solo effort?) from the former Guns 'N' Rose, Velvet Revolver bassist, Duff McKagan.
the E.P. opens up with the title track, 'How To Be A Man', an acoustic driven rocker / rockabilly number. A great song and a great start to the E.P.
Next up we have 'Punker'. A harder edged song, that see's Duff drawing more on his Punk influences, once again a great track.
Album closer, 'Kill The Internet', is a hard edged track. A menacing riff grinding away throughout, with some very topical lyrics. Once again another cracking track.
If Duff is in this form, Id love to hear a full album from him!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating 10/10

GRAHAM BONNET BAND - My Kingdom Come E.P.(2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / melodic Rock

 

Track listing:

1 - My Kingdome Come (5:32)
2 - The Mirror Lies (5:10)
 

After many years, talented English vocalist and songwriter Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, Impellitteri) finally has been able to form his own band with expectations of recording new material and touring extensively over Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.
The first release from GRAHAM BONNET BAND  the  EP titled "My Kingdom Come", a really good effort from the legendary shouter.
The band includes Beth-Ami Heavenstone on bass, Chase Manhattan on drums and skilled guitar player Conrad Pesinato who also has produced the recording.
However, during the recording sessions some renowned cats were used; highly requested drummer Mark Zonder (ex- Fates Warning) and terrific keyboardist Derek Sherinian (ex- Dream Theater) perform on the title track.
The cut is an elaborated piece blending hard rock and progressive elements, with stupendous arrangements and a very tight Bonnet vocal work. The song was co-written by Russ Ballard, who has had a long association with Graham dating back to Rainbow's Down To Earth album and its hit 'Since You Been Gone'.
The other track on the EP, "The Mirror Lies", is a strong classic hard rocker that will certainly please fans of Graham's '80s recordings. This one features the full Graham Bonnet Band, with the excellent Eric Ragno contributing the keyboards as guest.
The whole EP was mixed & mastered by Alessandro Del Vecchio, so expect a bright, polished sound.
Graham's voice may sound a little worn live (as heard / seen on Axel Rudi Pell's recent live album), but in the studio he sounds great.
And what really surprises on "My Kingdom Come" are all the environs; both songs are really good, his band is strong, and production first rate.
Seriously, this EP leaves you hungry for more. Very well done Graham.
Well Worth Checking Out!

Rating - 9/10
.

Motorhead - Thunder & Lightning (Single) (2015)

Genre - Heavy Metal / Rock 'n' Roll

 

Track listing:

01 - Thunder & Lightning

 

Lemmy and Motorhead return with a brand spanking new single in the form of 'Thunder & Ligtning', a high octane tribute to his love of his rock n roll life style,

 

'Thunder & Lightning' see's Motorhead hitting a really good vein of form, a great song with all the motorhead trademarks. If this is anything to go by, things are looking good for a new album!

Now lets just hope Lemmy gets his health concerns under control!

 

Rating - 10/10

Iron Maiden - Powerslave (2015 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

 

Track listing:

01 - Aces High
02 - 2 Minutes To Midnight
03 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
04 - Flash Of The Blade
05 - The Duellists
06 - Back In The Village
07 - Powerslave
08 - Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

 

As previously featured here, let's continue with IRON MAIDEN catalog albums which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been freshly mastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes.

Now it's time for "Powerslave".

The third in a trilogy of legendary Iron Maiden albums, "Powerslave" is frequently ranked as the fan favourite of the bunch, capping off a stellar run that sealed the band's genre-defining status. If "The Number of the Beast " was the all-time metal landmark, 'Powerslave' is perhaps the quintessential Maiden album, capturing all the signature elements of the band's definitive era in one place.
The album opens with Maiden at their catchiest, turning in a pair of metal classics right off the bat with the British hit singles "Aces High" (a high-speed ode to a WWII air battle) and the apocalyptic "2 Minutes to Midnight".

Next we get an instrumental, "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)," of the sort that Maiden periodically deployed to keep fans in awe of their technical chops. A pair of their best and most overlooked album tracks follows; "Flash of the Blade" and "The Duellists" exemplify the glory-minded battle hymns that made up such an important part of their lyrical obsessions, even if both are about sword fighting rather than modern military history.
By the end of the album, we're seeing Maiden at their most progressive and ambitious. The seven-minute title track, "Powerslave",  builds on the previous album's "To Tame a Land" with its use of Middle Eastern melodies, delving into Egyptian mythology for a rumination on power and mortality.
This leads into the biggest, most grandiose epic in the Maiden catalogue: "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," a multi-sectioned, thirteen-and-a-minute prog-fest adapted from the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem. Though it isn't exactly what you'd call hooky, its shifting moods and lofty intellectual aspirations made it a live favourite.

Steve Harris continues; "Now with this fresh mastering, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved, in my opinion.
Tony Newton and Ade Emsley, who worked closely with me on the project, did a terrific job recapturing everything from the original masters, and together we've re- mastered them all digitally and I'm really happy with the results."
Tony Newton adds: "The process started with locating all of the original album mix tapes (or whichever format they were mixed to). Then the choice of analogue to digital convertor was chosen for the most accurate capture to make it as close as possible to the sound of the mix as it was intended by the band.
When a lot of these tapes were last captured it was in the 1980s, early days of digital and only 44.1khz/16bit files were possible. On top of this, the new A/D convertors are far superior now, and, of course, it is possible to produce files of far higher resolution.
The result of this is that the songs now sound more defined with added depth and warmth.

And you can tell it: on this new remaster of "Powerslave" there is definitely a difference with the previous versions of this album, perhaps the most notorious of this new batch of remasters.

Its clearer, fully sounding and well, just bloody well awesome!

 

Very, Very Highly Recommended!!!

 

Rating - 10/10

 

Simply A Classic!!

Iron Maiden - Peace Of Mind (20105 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

 

Track listing:

01 - Where Eagles Dare
02 - Revelations
03 - Flight Of Icarus
04 - Die With Your Boots On
05 - The Trooper
06 - Still Life
07 - Quest For Fire
08 - Sun And Steel
09 - To Tame A Land

Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA) have released 19 IRON MAIDEN catalog albums which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been freshly mastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes.
Now lets take a listen to "Peace Of Mind".
"Piece Of Mind" marks the debut of what many regard as the definitive Maiden line up, with the arrival of new drummer Nicko McBrain. McBrain's ability to duplicate the complex patterns of the guitar and bass riffs gives the band a seamless ensemble unity.
Even Steve Harris, whose busy bass lines were never exactly groove-oriented, has never felt more integrated into the overall sound. Perhaps part of that feeling comes from the less frantic pace; the average tempo has slowed somewhat from the preceding album, and the NWOBHM influences still present there have been slightly changed to a more 'international sound'.
Instead, we get a few moodier, heavier pieces (especially "Revelations") that make the album darker-sounding overall. We also get greater involvement in the song writing from Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith, whose themes are perfectly in tune with Steve Harris' epic storytelling.
Nearly every song here was inspired by movies or literature, whether it's history, mythology, sci-fi, or fantasy; this approach got them tagged as a thinking-man's metal band.
Of course, 2Peace Of Mind" gave us such Iron Maiden classics as 'Where Eagles Dare', 'Revelations', 'Flight Of Icarus', 'Die With You Boots On', 'Still Life' and the ageless anthem, 'The Trooper'!
With the remasters you really can hear just how intricate the guitar work is on 'Revelations', the previously buried sound effects in 'Where Eagles Dare', the texts and atmosphere in 'Still Life'. I also have to say that one of my favourite Iron Maiden tracks of all time, 'To Tame A Land', sounds even more of a monster now!


I know that many fans get irritated with the constant re-releases and remaster's that many of the bigger bands put out, but this is one set that really is worth having!

 

Very, Very Highly recommended!

Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast (2015 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Invaders
02 - Children Of The Damned
03 - The Prisoner
04 - 22 Acacia Avenue
05 - The Number Of The Beast
06 - Run to the Hills
07 - Gangland
08 - Hallowed Be Thy Name

 

 

Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA) have released nineteen IRON MAIDEN catalog albums which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been remastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes.
Now let's take a listen to my favourite Iron Maiden album, the essential "The Number Of The Beast".

 

From the opening drums of 'Invaders' to the closing tones of 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' you can hear the difference with this remaster. Everything is so much clearer, sharper, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved, in my opinion.

"The Number Of The Beast" was the first album to feature the vocal talents of one Mr Bruce Dickinson (formerly known as Bruce Bruce whilst with Samson), and spawned such Iron Maiden classics as 'Children Of The Damned', ''The Prisoner', 'Run To The Hills', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and of course the mighty title track itself, 'The Number Of The Beast'.  

No ones needs telling just how good this album is, of course that goes without saying, but these new remasters really do add an entirely new dimension to the songs, You can hear all the intricate acoustic guitar work of 'Children Of The Damned' for example, or the fantastic drumming of the late Clive Burr on the proto thrash track 'Gangland', the layering of the guitars on the title track, 'The Number Of The Beast', or the brooding power and menace of 'Run To The Hills'.

As I have already said, these new remasters really do add that extra dimension to the songs, really lifting them, giving them an almost contemporary sound in fact. And 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' has never sounded better, absolutely awesome!

 

I know that many fans get irritated with the constant re-releases and remasters that many of the bigger bands put out, but this is one set that really is worth having!

 

Very, Very Highly recommended!

 

Rating - 10/10

 

 

 

 

Iron Maiden - Killers (2015 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

Track listing:

 

01 - The Ides Of March
02 - Wrathchild
03 - Murders In The Rue Morgue
04 - Another Life
05 - Genghis Khan
06 - Innocent Exile
07 - Killers
08 - Prodigal Son
09 - Purgatory
10 - Drifter
 

IRON MAIDEN in conjunction with Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA) have released nineteen catalog albums from the band which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been remastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes and supervised by Iron Maiden's founder Steve Harris.

Let's take a listen to "Killers", their first with guitarist Adrian Smith and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was sacked after problems with his stage performance due to his addictions.
Iron Maiden's founder member Steve Harris comments about this superior mastering technique:
"The Remastering for iTunes procedure allows the listener to experience the music as close as possible to the way the artist intended it to be heard. So, of course, I was very keen for the Iron Maiden albums to be mastered in this way.
The records have been available digitally before, when this medium first became a platform for music distribution, but were mastered with CDs in mind. The iTunes process involves a different approach and it's great to finally deliver the music to our fans in as close to a pure and accurate sound as we could possibly achieve."
Harris continues; "Now, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved, in my opinion.
Tony Newton and Ade Emsley, who worked closely with me on the project, did a terrific job recapturing everything from the original masters, and together we've re- mastered them all digitally and I'm really happy with the results."

With Adrian Smith as new guitarist, together with Dave Murray, on "Killers" Iron Maiden started to define the twin guitar attack that would be the trademark of the band in their most fruitful period.

Killers gave us such Iron Maiden classics as 'Wrathchild', 'Murders In The Rue Morgue', 'Purgatory', 'Innocent Exile' and the albums title track itself, 'Killers', all of which sound absolutely stunning with their new mixes and remastering. Every note seems that much sharper and clearer.

 

 I know that many fans get irritated with the constant re-releases and remasters that many of the bigger bands put out, but this is one set that really is worth having!

Rating - 10/10

 



Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden (2015 iTunes Remaster)

Genre - Heavy Metal / NWoBHM

Label - Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA)

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Prowler
02 - Remember Tomorrow
03 - Running Free
04 - Phantom Of The Opera
05 - Transylvania
06 - Strange World
07 - Charlotte The Harlot
08 - Iron Maiden
 

Parlophone Records (BMG/INgrooves Music Group for the USA) have released nineteen IRON MAIDEN catalog albums which have been Remastered for iTunes, encoded from 24-bit / 96 khz high resolution masters. All these albums have been remastered with iTunes in mind, delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended.
These are brand new 2015 remasters from their original analog sources, exclusively produced for iTunes.
Now these remasters are absolutely brilliant, you can hear everything, and I mean everything. Its easy to distinguish between the twin guitar attack, whereas in past mixes they have blurred together at times. Everything is crystal clear, giving the album a, dare I say it, almost contemporary feel. Its great to hear classics like 'Prowler', 'Running Free', 'Charlotte The Harlot' and 'Remember Tomorrow', being given a new lease of life.
Iron Maiden's founder member Steve Harris comments about this superior mastering technique: "The Remastering for iTunes procedure allows the listener to experience the music as close as possible to the way the artist intended it to be heard. So, of course, I was very keen for the Iron Maiden albums to be mastered in this way.
The records have been available digitally before, when this medium first became a platform for music distribution, but were mastered with CDs in mind. The iTunes process involves a different approach and it's great to finally deliver the music to our fans in as close to a pure and accurate sound as we could possibly achieve."
"For example, as most people know, I was never really happy with the sound on the first Maiden album, but listening to it now, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved, in my opinion.
Tony Newton and Ade Emsley, who worked closely with me on the project, did a terrific job recapturing everything from the original masters, and together we've re- mastered them all digitally and I'm really happy with the results."
Tony Newton adds: "The process started with locating all of the original album mix tapes (or whichever format they were mixed to). Then the choice of analogue to digital convertor was chosen for the most accurate capture to make it as close as possible to the sound of the mix as it was intended by the band.
When a lot of these tapes were last captured it was in the 1980s, early days of digital and only 44.1khz/16bit files were possible. On top of this, the new A/D convertors are far superior now, and, of course, it is possible to produce files of far higher resolution.
The result of this is that the songs now sound more defined with added depth and warmth.

I know that many fans get irritated with the constant re-releases and remasters that many of the bigger bands put out, but this is one set that really is worth having!

Rating - 10/10

The Scaramanga Six - The Terrifying Dream (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative

Label - Pledge Music / Self Released

 

Track listing:

01 - Rules

02 - The Man Who Couldn't Sing

03 - Out Of My Tiny Mind

04 - The Outsider

05 - Arabella

06 - Citadel

07 - Seven Chances

08 - Starring At The Accident

09 - Tempest

10 - Blood On My Hands

11 - Be Nothing

And finally the wait is over, hot on the tails of the awesome three new E.P's, the brand spanking new album from The Scaramanga Six has arrived in the form of The Terrifying Dream.
And boy was it worth the wait!
Opening with the almost instrumental 'Rules', the band waste little time in setting the scene for what is to follow. Next up we get 'The Man Who Couldn't Sing' with its bond theme esque moments.  A terrific start to the album. 'Out Of My Tiny Mind' follows, slowing the tempo a little with its almost sixties psychedelic feel. Next we have 'The Outsider', an acoustically driven atmospheric track, with a real haunting feel. three minutes of eerie tripped out-ness! The absolutely awesome 'Arabella' follows, with its Jim Steinmen esque intro that builds into an instantly recognisable Scaramanga classic!
The mighty 'Citadel' is up next and what a track it is. Definitely the heaviest (and longest) track on the album with lots of bottom end! Opening up with a piano and whistled intro before all hell breaks loose! This song brings to mind some of Bill Ward's (ex Black Sabbath drummer) solo work as it definitely has a similar style and feel to it! No matter how you look at it this is one hell of a track, a true epic in every sense of the word.
'Seven Chances' follows, which sees the band return to their more familiar blue print with a great mid-tempo rocker. 'Starring At The Accident' is another instant Scaramanga classic, a truly wonderful song with some great lyrics throughout. Eerily haunting too.
'Tempest' is up next, a typical quirky Scaramanga track, with its stop start rhythm, which breaks into an almost ska / reggae beat in places.
The albums penultimate track comes in the form of 'Blood On My Hands'. This has to be one of my favourite Scaramanga Six songs to date, absolutely brilliant. Another brilliantly epic track.
The Terrifying Dream closes with 'Be Nothing', a beautiful slow track that builds into something really special.

I have to say that when coupled together with its three prequel E.P's, (Eye and Skin Machine, Worm Necklace and The Sleeper Must Awaken), The Terrifying Dream is a strong contender for the release of the year award!

Very Highly Recommended!!

Rating 10/10

Architects Of Chaoz - League Of Shadows (2015)

Genre - Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal

Track listing:

01 - Rejected

02 - How Many Times

03 - Horsemen

04 - Switched Off (Released)

05 - Erase The World

06 - Dead Eyes

07 - Architects Of Chaoz

08 - When Murder Comes To Town

09 - Obsidian Black

10 - You've Been Kissed By The Wings Of The Angel Of Death

11 - Apache Falls

12 - Soldier Of Fortune (Deep Purple cover)

Ex Iron Maiden, Battlezone and Killers vocalist, Paul Di'Anno returns with his latest project, League of Shadows by Architects of Chaoz.
The band is basically Paul's German backing band, The Phantomz, which provides a kind of solid foundation from which the album has been crafted.
What can we expect from the Architects debut album? Well in my honest opinion, quite possibly the best traditional metal album to be released since Judas Priest's Painkiller! With League Of Shadows, the band have produced an album of twelve (eleven original and one cover), really strong songs.
With Paul in fine form and the band putting in a solid performance this album is pretty darn cracking from start to end!
The traditional fast opener sets the tone for the rest of the album. Di'Anno's voice is spot on, the riffs come quick and fast, and well its just a bloody cracking song!
Throughout the album you can hear the influences of Di'Anno's past projects from the obvious, Iron Maiden and Killers, to Balltezone and in the mellower moments of Switched Off (Released) even Dianno. (The 1984 solo project that Di'Anno put together). you can also hear other metal influences coming through such as Judas Priest, Helloween and Annihilator.  This album contains so many highlights it seems unjust to single any particular songs out but, Switched Off (Released), Erase The World, Obsidian Black, How Many Times and Dead Eyes are just awesome.
Another song that stands out is the Deep Purple cover "Soldier of fortune". I must say that the rough abrasiveness of Architects Of Chaoz sound gives the song an entirely new feel, whilst sticking to the blueprints of the original. Great cover.

Architects of Chaoz and League Of Shadows sees a real return to form for Paul Di'Anno and long may it last.

Very, Very Highly Recommended

Rating -10/10

Paradise Lost - The Plague Within (Deluxe Edition) (2015)

Genre - Heavy Metal / Gothic / Doom Metal

 

Track listing:

 

01 - No Hope In Sight

02 - Terminal

03 - An Eternity Of Lies

04 - Punishment Through Time

05 - Beneath Broken Earth

06 - Sacrifice The Flame

07 - Victim Of The Past

08 - Flesh From Bone

09 - Cry Out

10 - Return To The Sun

11 - Fear Of Silence

12 - Never Look Away

13 - Victim Of the Past (Orchestral Version)

Paradise Lost return with their fourteenth album, ‘The Plague Within,’ an album that once again see's the UK doom merchants embracing their roots, and whilst not exactly breaking new ground, reaffirming their distinction as probably the greatest British doom merchants since the mighty Black Sabbath.
Produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano (who recorded Ghost’s first one and Cathedral’s last one) the album runs the atmospheric gamut from meaty death ‘n’ roll (“Cry Out”) to soulful doom liturgies (“Return to the Sun”) and even Down-style chug (“Punishment Through Time”), as guitarists Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy unfurl catchy riffs in every direction.
The journey to 'The Plague Within' began with 'Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us' and 'Tragic Idol', both of which  revelled in glorious melancholy, and showed the band swinging back into the direction of the roots, that journey is now complete with 'The Plague Within'. The albums heavy, Nick growls as much as he sings (and sounds in great form by the way!), and the guitars are doom laded, even reminiscent of the doom master himself, Tony Iommi, at times.
The Plague within is the best album from Paradise Lost since the 1990's, and on this evidence they still have a hell of a lot to offer.


Very, Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

Crystal Ball - Liferider (2015)

Genre - Melodic Rock / Melodic Metal

 

Track listing:

 

01. Mayday!
02. Eye To Eye
03. Paradise
04. Balls Of Steel
05. Hold Your Flag
06. Gods Of Rock
07. Take It All
08. Bleeding
09. Rock Of Life
10. Antidote
11. LifeRider
12. Memory Run
13 - Sacred Heart (Dio Cover) (Bonus Track)

14 - Sign Of The Southern Cross (Black Sabbath Cover)(Bonus Track)

15 - Not Like You (Bonus Track)

After a 6-year hiatus they returned in 2013 with new vocalist and another solid record, and now two years later,  the guys are back with "Liferider", maintaining their unique blend of melodic edgy rock and hard rock groove.
Indeed, Crystal Ball's music is planted on the harder side of the melodic hard rock spectrum, sometimes pretty metallised but always melodious.
Heavy riffs abound on "Liferider" fortified by a rather thick rhythm section. Even so, melody and harmony does not take a back seat to any of this.
All these things come through within 'Mayday', 'Gods Of Rock', 'Antidote', and the quite catchy 'Eye To Eye', featuring Battle Beast’s Noora Louhimo. But this song may remind of something else as it has a strong melodic metal vibe.
You're likely to catch more of this with the title track, 'Liferider', and 'Balls Of Steel', both of which have a heavy and brisk pace.
There's a super catchy number in 'Paradise', while Crystal Ball's more Melodic Hard Rock side is expressed on 'Bleeding' and 'Memory Run'.
There's great guitar and vocal melodies, and an overall positively charged fun ride. What I really love is the variety presented on this disc, each song is interesting and has it's own personality while the overall disc stays very coherent.
Amongst the many formats available you get two of the best cover versions that I have ever heard. Crystal Ball's cover of Scared Heart is powerful, capturing the magic of the original, often overlooked Dio classic, and their version of  Sign Of The Southern Cross is quite simply the best cover of a Black Sabbath song that I have ever heard, especially adding the piano to the songs opening really adds to its power and atmosphere.

If you are going to check out one melodic rock / metal album this year make sure that its this one!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

HELLOWEEN - My God-Given Right (2015)

Genre - Heavy Metal

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Heroes
02 - Battle's Won
03 - My God-Given Right
04 - Stay Crazy
05 - Lost In America
06 - Russian Roulé
07 - The Swing Of A Fallen World
08 - Like Everybody Else
09 - Creatures In Heaven
10 - If God Loves Rock 'N' Roll
11 - Living On The Edge
12 - Claws
13 - You, Still Of War
14 - I Wish I Were There (bonus track)
15 - Wicked Game (bonus track)
16 - Free World (bonus track)

07 - More Than A Lifetime (bonus track)

My God-Given Right see's Helloween returning to their roots and in many ways recapturing the magic that spawned the classic Keeper Of The Seven Keys albums all those years ago.
In fact, the song writing on "My God-Given Right" is pretty easy going, there's simple and effective arrangements and as usual with Halloween, lots of humour.
The album opens strongly with a trio of tracks that are simply brilliant. 'Heroes' offers a nicely-crafted melodic and almost soothing verse with a punchy chorus, 'Battle’s Won' is a fast-paced double-pedal driven power metal anthem with an overblown, hook-laden chorus and the title track is, if anything, even better.
The verse of 'My God-Given Right' has an understated feel to it that is reminiscent of Master Of The Rings era material but it’s the chorus that transcends the song into Godly anthemic realms. Andi Deris belts it out as powerfully as I’ve ever heard him and, coupled with a gorgeously memorable melody and more double-pedal drumming, it is devastatingly infectious. There’s even a moment in the middle where everything quietens down before building inexorably to another rendition of the chorus. 'Stay Crazy' features some utterly ridiculous lyrics but thanks to a classic '80s metal-meets-melodic hard rock sheen and another breezy carefree chorus, the silliness is easily overlooked. To be honest, silly lyrics are part of the charm of Helloween, remember Future World, Dr Stein etc?
To just to emphasise this point and the humorous element of the band, look no further than the preposterous ‘If God Loves Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and the spoken word segment that suggests that ‘even in heaven you need a bass guitar, a guitar and a second guitar’ for pure tongue in cheek lyrics. 'Like Everybody Else' is very '80s sounding, a ballad of sorts with a really good main melody.
But as can be seen / heard with the ominous overtone of ‘A Swing Of A Fallen World’ and closer ‘You, Still Of War’, however, Helloween demonstrate that they have not entirely abandoned their more symphonic and epic attributes. That said, these moments are definitely the exception rather than the rule on this record.
There are various bonus tracks available spread over the various formats, which is always annoying, but My God-Given Right is the best album that Helloween have produced in years.

Well worth checking out

Rating - 9/10

Ginger Wildheart - Clout EP (2015)

Genre - Experimental / Hard Rock

Label - Pledge Music / Self Released

 

Track listing:

 

01- Nelson

02 - Benn

03 - Darwin

04 - You

Hmmm now this is a strange one. Clout is a free download Ep, one of the exclusive incentives to Ginger Wildhearts latest Pledge Music campaign, Songs & Words. Clout was recorded by Ginger and Jase Edwards at Jase's studio.
 I say this is a strange one because once again Ginger throws us a real curve ball with Clout. Four songs inspired by great heroes, but not in the usual hard rockin style that we have come to know Ginger for. Opening track, Nelson comes across as the bastard off spring of Clam Abuse and Mutation. Lots of loops and samples creating an interesting and rather unique soundscape. No real lyrics or vocal line here, just some crazy twists and turns. Interesting track.
Benn follows and is similar in style and feel to a rare Ginger track entitled Patience and Gratitude from a few years back. Opening with a monologue speech from Tony Benn. This melodic track has a great feel to, the speech working great as a spoken word kind of track. I'm loving this track!
Darwin is definitely the most unique track that I have ever heard. It just evolves through so many twists and turns its ridiculous and almost impossible to keep up with. The lyrics come in the form of Ginger quoting various quotes from Charles Darwin. A weird song that if I am honest I have difficulty wrapping my head around.
The Ep's closing track, You is inspired by, well inspired by You, and the incredible journey that you make in life. Its the most melodic track that the Ep offers, with Ginger providing a spoken word commentary on the miracle of life!
A brilliant song!

Clout is a really different EP, with Ginger once again keeping his fans on their toes. Unfortunatley I don't think that it is going to be for everyone. Personally I bloody well love it!

Well worth checking out

Rating - 9/10

Bret Michaels (Poison) - True Grit (2015)

Genre - Melodic Rock / Country

Label - ?

 

Track listing:

01 - Get Undone
02 - Girls On Bars
03 - A Beautiful Soul
04 - App Song
05 - Riding Against The Wind
06 - Nothing To Lose
07 - Open Road
08 - Rock'n My Country
09 - All I Ever Needed
10 - New Breed Of American Cowboy
11 - Fallen
12 - Lookin' For A Good Time
13 - Raine
14 - Sweet Home Alabama
15 - What I Got
16 - Stay With Me
17 - Nothin' But A Good Time (Classic Rock Version)
18 - Every Rose Has Its Thorn
19 - Unskinny Bop
20 - Something To Believe In

Poison frontman BRET MICHAELS is a resourceful Renaissance man. From winning Celebrity Apprentice to developing a top-selling line of products for PetSmart, the veteran rocker has continued to reinvent himself through talent, hard work and a maverick entrepreneurial spirit.
His new album "True Grit", features no less than 20 songs.
"True Grit" features a series of recent singles that Michaels has released during the last five years, new songs recorded few months ago and various Poison classics re-worked in the 'Bret way'.
Among the songs there's 2012′s "They Don’t Make an App For That (The App Song)" originally released on the official Bret Michaels app, and the rocking "Get Undone".
Bret also flirted with country / Americana over the years, and you have the new cut "Girls on Bars" which is a fun crossover of these genres with rock 'n roll. As you might expect given its title, the song finds the Poison frontman extolling the virtues of girls who dance on bars.
Michaels says: 'We all need this type od songs. Summertime makes me think of people dancing at the bars, having fun. I think of girls on bars and guys driving fast cars. People are looking for a party after a long cold winter.'
We find also new takes on Poison classics.
There's a fine 'classic rock' version of "Nothin' But A Good Time", "Unskinny Bop" featuring horns and female backing vocals, a 'biker' re-work for "Talk Dirty To Me" and a revamped "Every Rose Has its Thorn," recorded at Loretta Lynn's Tennessee ranch and featuring guest vocals from the country icon herself.
The album also includes guest appearances by Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington and Rickey Medlocke, Jimmy Buffett and Rascal Flatts.
Despite of being publisized as a crossover album, "True Grit" is a rocking CD. There's country / Americana, yes, but mostly driven by electric guitars and Bret singing with his rock-mode on.
Cool stuff ready for the Summer.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10

The Scaramanga Six - The Sleeper Must Awaken EP (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative

Label - Pledge Music / Self Released

 

Track listing:

 

01 - The Man Who Couldn't Sing

02 - In Your dreams

03 - A Shot To The Head

04 - All I Have To Do

The Sleeper Must Awaken completes the set of three Ep's to be released to accompany the forthcoming new album (set to drop later this month!), from The Scaramanga Six. (Exclusive to the albums Pledge campaign!)
Now before we get started, lets allow the band to tell us about the songs in their own words:

"1. THE MAN WHO COULDN’T SING
A frequent and furious visitor to our live set of late (noted as ‘Manhoo’ on our setlists), this tune was also first aired on the ‘Scenes of Mild Peril’ DVD last year. You may instantly get the James Bond references in the chromatic three-up-one-down phrase played by the strings in key moments of the song, as well as the title which suggests a contender for the next movie theme – it’s an area of pastiche we have plundered before of course with Julia’s ‘The Man With The Perfect Aim’ from our very first album back in 1999, only this time we’ve gone at it four to the floor, summoning the spirit of The Stranglers ‘Raven’ era for inspiration and desired levels of wanton intensity.
The song deals with a recurring nightmare faced by our Paul, and probably by many a singer/musician – the one of taking to the stage only to find yourself woefully unprepared, dogged with technical issues, just plain late or in this case physically unable to sing. It’s the classic subconscious fear of failure rearing its ugly head. You know when you are due to play the guitar for your very favourite heroic band only to discover you don’t know any of the songs and your instrument has transformed into a slimy bundle of guts – that.
2. IN YOUR DREAMS
A song from the point of view of the ghoulish figure of your nightmares now. This spectre wants to soothe you with a lullaby before doing unspeakable things to your sleeping body, probably with rusty hooks or something. To represent this, Paul finger-picks an acoustic which is accompanied by a distant celeste fluctuating between minor and major chords while he whispers a smooth baritone – and you are under. We then get all Phil Spector (without the actual murdering of course) on your asses when the drums kick in – pretty much ripping off ‘The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore’ by The Walker Brothers, complete with additional tambourine along with Gareth’s enormous kit sound.
The bass is muted (a technique used by us more and more these days) to give it extra 60’s feel – later on at the end of the song, this is joined by a second bass part made from a watery chorus that is the only on-board effect on Steve’s Peavey TNT combo amp. He’s had that amp for about 22 years and this has been the one and only occasion to press that button in a studio.
The magnificent Suzuki Q-Chord makes another appearance in this song – you’ll have heard this twinkly sound in previous songs such as ‘I Wear My Heart on my Sleeve’ & ‘The Collector’. The box for it says “0 to Musician in 60 seconds” – that’s fine by us. Other musical highlights of this fabulous recording are the distant backing vocals reminiscent of Bowie’s ‘The Supermen’ and Paul’s tremendous twangy guitar solo after the middle bit. Hopefully a few shivers have been sent down your spine.
3. A SHOT TO THE HEAD
Continuing in a strangely understated fashion for The Scaramanga Six, Gareth kicks this one off with a subtle drum intro featuring his ‘rimshot’ again, the dirty bastard. Paul & Julia’s guitars syncopate with each other during each phrase which is answered by a solemn low note on the piano. This tune was originally in the short-list for the batch of songs we were to take over to Chicago for ‘Phantom Head’, but for some reason didn’t make the cut – probably for the best now, because we think Lord Alan Smyth has done a particularly fine job on this spooky version.
Steve takes up vocal duties for this one, again almost whispering the first few phrases following the sound montage of screaming and scraping noises. The song is clearly about chronic insomnia – that horrible time when you ‘miss the boat’ of slumber. Sometimes the futile attempts at trying to sleep can lead you into a weirder state of mind than the dreams you encounter when you are actually asleep. A mix of repetitive mental somersaults, twitching bodies and the need to not disturb the household over what seems like an aeon can drive you insane – enough to want to be put out of your misery.
Musical magpie moments in this one – the piano line after each chorus is lifted from ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ by Bacharach/David and there are definite elements of classic Fall in the dirgy verse after chorus 1.
4. ALL I HAVE TO DO
This one was written during the band’s brief tenure as The B-52’s tribute act ‘Mock Lobster’ using exactly the same weird guitar tuning as Ricky Wilson uses on ‘Private Idaho’. We decided to give it the full treatment to sound like Athens GA’s finest with simple & driving drums, tambourine, bass parts played on a synth and of course a cheesy Farfisa organ. The only thing missing is the barking drawl of Fred Schneider and the sweet harmonies of Kate/Cindy.
The subject matter still concerns sleep in a way, only this time the metaphorical ‘sleeping’ that occurs during a sexual liaison. The song is sung from the perspective of one who sells their services to the sleazy and desperate."

Well what more can I add,
The Man Who Couldn't Sing is a great little melodic rocker, and its bond-esque theme's throughout really do add something to this song, giving it that little extra magic. I have to admit that this is one of my favourite songs, and in my opinion one of the best songs that the band have ever released!
In Your Dreams, is a softer almost haunting track, similar in style to The Scaramanga classic, Horrible Face. Another great song that gets the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end.
A Shot To The Head, another future Scaramanga classic, a nice melodic song that builds and builds throughout, building a great atmosphere as it goes!
All I Have To Do, is probably the rockiest track on the EP. A great little song with a stop start riff.

So once again The Scaramanga Six deliver a brilliant EP in the form of The Sleeper Must Awaken, probably the most rounded set of four tracks from all three EP's. Now I just cant wait for the new album!

Very Highly Recommended!

Rating - 10/10

Baby Chaos - Skulls, Skulls, Skulls, Show Me the Glory (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock

Label - Pledge Music / Self Released / Three Hands Records

 

Track listing:

 

 

01 - You Can’t Shut Us Up

02 - Blackbirds

03 - The Whispering Of Giants

04 - Have Faith In Yourself

05 - P P P Peaches

06 - Poison Ivy Girls

07 - We Were Youth

08 - Out Of The Silence

09 - Risk and Writhing

10 - A Tingling On Your Bright Skin

11 - Habibi

Returning with their first new album in seventeen years, Baby Chaos unleash Skulls, Skulls, Skulls, Show Me The Glory upon the world. And what a comeback album it is!
Pretty much picking up where they left off in the late nineties, Baby Chaos return with their perfect blend of melody, punk, rocking riffs and alternative attitude. By God we've missed these guys!
Opener ‘You Can’t Shut Us Up’ doesn’t sound like they’ve aged at all, packing in more energy and ideas than many groups half their age, and the momentum generated by this lasts well into the second half. ‘We Were Youth’ sounds mean and frenetic in the same way that recent groups like Pulled Apart By Horses and Future Of The Left do. ‘Poison Ivy Girls’ and ‘P P P Peaches’ show those melodic blasts reminiscent of American college rock.  ‘The Whispering Of Giants’ see's vocalist Chris Gordon really unleash his voice to awesome effect,  and the intricate closer ‘Habibi’ builds slowly from modest beginnings into a glorious noise. And then swerves left into a slick, smart outro.. 'Have Faith In Yourself' is another brilliant standout track, with its creepy kids choir.
'Skulls, Skulls, Skulls, Show Me the Glory' is a great comeback album from a band that should have been huge years ago!

Very Highly recommended!

Rating - 10/10

Faith No More - Sol Invictus (2015)

Genre - Alternative Rock / Alternative Metal

Label - Independent Release

 

Track listing:

01 - Sol Invictus
02 - Superhero
03 - Sunny Side Up
04 - Separation Anxiety
05 - Cone Of Shame
06 - Rise Of The Fall
07 - Black Friday
08 - Motherfucker
09 - Matador
10 - From The Dead
11 - Superhero Battaglia (bonus track)

Now I have to admit to that fact that I have never really been a huge Faith No More fan, sure I liked some of the singles and the odd album track, but they never really blew me away, so it was quite an interesting experience listening to their new album, their first new release in eighteen years!
"Sol Invictus" continues the past decade’s trend of comeback albums that manage not to damage the reunited band’s legacy (for example albums from the reunited Skin, Van Halen, Living Colour, Black Sabbath).  Indeed, if this album had been released in 1999 as a direct follow-up to 1997’s Album of the Year, no one would have batted an eye.
"Sol Invictus" features the recording lineup of, singer Mike Patton, bass player Bill Gould, drummer Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum (keys) and guitarist John Hudson.
Producing the album themselves, there's no gloss and no conventions. These guys have the benefit of road wear and multiple side venues (Mike Patton, especially) to give them a new perspective.
Better yet, they have unrestricted freedom to do as they please and allow the songs to take them wherever they choose, without having to force them to conform to some AOR exec's ideals.
Slinking into the album with Roddy Bottum's mellow piano passages and Mike Bordin's modified march, one feels instant gratification as soon as Mike Patton threads his voice into the title track. First Patton half-grunts and half-whispers, then rises up to the smooth crooning octaves that's given him mass appeal.
He reverts to snarl mode on the politically-charged, jumpy "Superhero", which grows in intensity as Hudson and Gould slam their instruments with the same vigour they left in this band the first time. Bottum's cascading keys on the song's sullen choruses hit such a nerve the listener is apt to weep with joy by their gorgeousness. With Mike Patton's overdubbed screams and 'leader of men' mantras, along with Hudson's raking guitars in the final stanzas, this is, without a doubt, Faith No More restored
Patton scats his way through the slow-jiving verses of "Sunny Side Up" and scream-sings the choruses with the maniacal glee his followers have come to expect. A funky transition from the guitar pushes into a flirt with pop, but a massive anti-pop finale opens up the band's airspace for Gould's encumbering bass knocks on "Separation Anxiety".
Appropriately dense, Gould's bass lines on the verses of "Separation Anxiety" shoves everything down around the listener until the song erupts into an orgasm of broiling funk-metal and rocks the hell out the remainder of the ride.
 "Cone of Shame" is one of the most experimental pieces Faith No More's yet written, and the payoff for the skulking weirdness leading off the track is another explosion of Rock excellence.
This one is sure to play like a climax onstage, as the song hits a stupendous apex where Patton heaves at least a quarter of his vocal arsenal amidst the thumping bellicosity around him.
Brilliantly dabbling with reggae on "Rise of the Fall", the song morphs into a warped mix of samba, cha-cha and a sliver shorn from a Danny Elfman score. The continuously-evolving nature of the track (which will remind listeners of MR. BUNGLE along the way) again gives Mike Patton opportunity to layer the thing with a jubilantly twisted gaggle of voices. Those alone are enough to disseminate, much less the chattering maracas and accordions spilled into the song.
"Black Friday" afterwards rides a gusty acoustic melody and heaving tempo, with echoing handclaps and pounding guitars dumped into the mix. The songs hits loud, head banging crescendos but never abandons its savoury glide.
Rap-scatting through the hilarious "Motherfucker", Mike Patton has assured himself and Faith No More an instant chant-along to last them an easy two decades further, depending on how long this second ride is intended to go.
Ditto for the mini-epic "Matador" (jokingly told to audiences long ago it was a cover), likely to go down as one of the band's finest hours and certainly one the most ambitious song Faith No More's ever written.
Considering this album had little odds of coming about years ago, well worth the wait for "Sol Invictus". It's a brand new beginning with a brand new vibe that's still Faith No More in soul.
It's not heavy as before but more mellow, yet one thing is for sure: Faith No More still is the more courageous, innovative, crazy genre-breaker band out there.
And in some ways, "Sol Invictus" is the most mind-blowing performance under the Faith No More moniker. As the closing number asserts, Faith No More is back from the dead, thank God.
Do yourself a favour and try some refreshing music, this one delivers it in spades.

Well worth checking out

Rating - 9/10